Over the past several years, there has been a growing demand by vehicle owners to better secure their vehicles against theft. Factors such as inconveniences and insurance premiums associated with the theft of a vehicle or vehicle components have resulted in a demand for mechanisms to better secure a vehicle. In an effort to solve these security problems and demands, a substantial industry has been developed to manufacture and promote various mechanisms which deter theft of a vehicle. Common vehicle security mechanisms include electronic devices such as alarms and so called "killer" switches which disable the engine and/or ignition of a vehicle unless bypassed by the authorized operator. Mechanical devices such as steering wheel locks, which inhibit unauthorized operation of the vehicle by constraining the steering wheel against rotation when locked in position, are also available. However, all these vehicle security systems suffer from numerous disadvantages in terms of cost, convenience and effectiveness.
Electronic alarms for motor vehicles have become well known in recent years and also have many disadvantages associated with their use. Such alarms are designed to be highly sensitive to physical force and/or motion and activate the alarm when the vehicle is disturbed in any way. Consequently, such alarms are frequently activated accidentally by parking lot and service station attendants and/or the owners themselves who neglect to deactivate the alarm system. The electronic alarms are also prone to malfunction and tend to drain the battery of the vehicle. Finally, many of these electronic alarms require professional installation, which is of high cost to a purchaser.
So called "killer" switches have also become popular in recent years. These switches serve to disable the vehicle usually at the ignition system, unless the authorized operator deactivates the killer switch. These types of systems are very costly and suffer from the usual reliability problems associated with electronic devices installed in a motor vehicle. In addition, these devices require professional retailers to install the device after the vehicle leaves the manufacturing plant for a substantial labor charge, since many of these systems are too complex for the general public to self-assemble. In addition, due to the complexity of these systems, a typical motorist is not knowledgeable regarding the deactivation of the system in case of a malfunction.
Vehicle security systems also include mechanical anti-theft devices which restrain relative movement of various components within the vehicle such as a steering wheel, gas pedal, clutch or brake. Many of these mechanical designs include mechanical locks comprising a pair of hooks at opposite ends of an elongated locking apparatus whereby the hooks are engaged to the steering wheel rim or the steering wheel rim and another component within the vehicle. These mechanical locks provide vehicle security without the cost and complexity of electronic security systems and further provide the convenience of being usable selectively at the discretion of the motorist, as opposed to being an ever present fixture of the vehicle which must inconveniently be attended to every time the vehicle is operated. Nevertheless, mechanical locks positioned on the steering wheel or on the steering wheel and another component of the vehicle suffer from various short comings which essentially reduce their effectiveness. The hooks and locks are typically made of hardened steel which resists bending, cutting or prying. While the mechanical locks themselves are relatively indestructible and unremovable by a thief, a thief can bypass such a security system by cutting through the steering wheel rim and removing the mechanical security device. A reinforced steering wheel, which resists being cut, can be installed; however, such steering wheel systems require professional installation and can be very expensive. Also, certain vehicles are equipped with specially designed steering wheels that include various features, such as air bags, light switches and cruise control switches. These specially designed steering wheels cannot be replaced by a generic reinforced steering wheel. Further, these specially designed steering wheels have also become susceptible to theft. The growing demand for air bags has created a market for air bags and air bag parts. As a result, thieves are illegally removing the air bag and various air bag components from vehicles. Many types of mechanical locks are not designed to protect vandalism and/or theft of components of steering wheels.
In light of the deficiencies of many types of mechanical locks and the perceived deficiencies of other types of mechanical locks, a new line of products has been developed which are designed to limit access to a steering wheel and an airbag. One such product is applicants security device sold under the trademark THE SHIELD. This security device is designed to be used in conjunction with a mechanical steering wheel loch such as the steering wheel lock sold under the trademark THE CLUB. THE SHIELD product includes two plate sections which are rotatably connected together so that the plate sections can be moved between an open and collapsed position. Each plate section includes at least one opening which is designed to receive a hook form a mechanical steering wheel lock to thereby secure THE SHIELD product to the steering wheel. THE SHIELD product is designed to cover at least a portion of the region of the steering wheel which contains the air bag. THE SHIELD product also limits access to the steering wheel rim to significantly increase the difficultly in cutting the steering wheel rim. Another security product designed to protect airbags is a security product sold under the trademark ROBOCAP. The ROBOCAP product is a modification of the security device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,067. The ROBOCAP product is a semi-circular device that is fitted onto a portion of a steering wheel and includes a rod-like member that is inserted into the face of the device to secure the device to the rim of a steering wheel. Although both of these products provide additional protection to the airbag and further limit access to the steering wheel rim, both products suffer from the inconvenience of having multiple parts. In addition, the ROBOCAP product also requires the operator to place position the steering wheel in a certain position and installing the ROBOCAP product on a specific region of the steering wheel so that the rod-like member can be properly inserted to secure the security device on the steering wheel and not damage the dash or other components of the vehicle during installation.
The prior art is thus seen to fail to provide a vehicle security device which is economical, simple, and convenient to use and yet which is thoroughly effective in preventing theft of a vehicle and vandalism to a steering wheel.